More Community, with a Side of Waffles: the Ellwood Thompson's Renovation

Lunch at Ellwood Thompson’s Local Market is already a social event, which you know if you’ve ever tried to park your car between the hours of noon and 2 p.m. Between the hot bar, the sushi counter, made-to-order sandwiches and the juice bar, it’s a busy hub for all walks of healthy life. And all of that’s about to be multiplied by breakfast, dinner, activism and entertainment.

Renovations to the space that started as the Community Room will transform it into The Greenhouse — a larger, glass-encased dining area with an upscale feel that will multitask as an event space for local bands, community think tanks, farm talks, policy forums and more. The Greenhouse isn’t the only renovation they’ve got planned, either.

Like the old format, you’ll still grab your food in the grocery store, pay up front and take it to the dining area, but there will be a slew of even more choices on the menu. Here’s a snapshot of chef Patrick Carr’s plans for the new Create bar:

Breakfast

- Belgian or “new classic” (vegan and gluten-free) waffles with mix-ins and toppings

- A revamped build-your-own sandwich bar, also with chef-suggested options like the Drunken Sailor (pastrami, muenster, sautéed onions and peppers, beer and cheese sauce on a garlic knot) or the Zen Yogi (baked edamame falafel on a gluten-free loaf with tomato, red onion, sprouts and creamy hummus)

And that’s still not all! Ellwood’s will be doubling the size of its juice bar, adding Blanchard’s cold brew to the coffee selections, expanding the cold beverage case, ramping up prepared foods and redesigning the kitchen and bakery.

Lunch devotees, get ready to come early and stay late. Regarding The Greenhouse, Marketing Director Colin Beirne adds, “We’re really thinking about it as a ‘third space’ for people to use; there’s home, there’s work and there’s this third place where community is built. It’s a place where people can eat a healthy meal or have a local craft beer on tap, and maybe listen to a speaker or a local band. A greenhouse is where things are grown … We want this one to promote growth in the community.”

Completion of the renovation project is expected by June 1st, and The Greenhouse will also be rentable for workshops, meetings, lectures and the like. We'll see you at the waffle station.